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Thread: Lee Loader

  1. #241
    Boolit Grand Master

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    You need to be careful, as they only resize at the neck in most cases. If you use brass from several different guys the reloads might not work in all of them.
    I'verun into this with 38 Spec, .357, .35 Rem, .30-06 and 8 MM.
    All done uising brass from several different guns and it can be a real pain!!
    Lee Loaders, unless they have changed in the last 10 years, only neck size bottle necked cases. Straight sided cases are full length sized. Lee Loaders have no carbide insert, so lubing should be done. Some straight sided cases are fairly difficult to size, and do need a good case lube; the most difficult case to size with my 7 Lee Loaders is the 44 Magnum. It does take some pounding and lube...
    My Anchor is holding fast!

  2. #242
    Boolit Bub
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    Yes. I agree. Just did 25 44 mag cases, because I lost my shell holder for the RCBS Rockchuker. Darn it... I sprayed the cases with my case lube of alcohol and lanolin, let them dry, and still felt like I was driving spikes into a rail road cross tie with my plastic mallet. Anyway, got them sized... But was sure nuff a chore....

  3. #243
    Boolit Master



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    I'd like to know if Imperial sizing wax would have been a bit easier?

  4. #244
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    I use Imperial wax with my Lee Loader all the time. I am 77 yrs young and sizing is not hard at all with Imperial. I have also used Redding case lube in the past but the Imperial is much easier to wipe off with an old towel than the other lubes. my experience anyway, james

  5. #245
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Yes, Imperial should work well. I have never heard anything bad about Imperial, but I found an excellent lube before I got to try any Imperial. About 22-24 years ago I heard about Mink Oil Boot Dressing Cream and one day walking through the local Walgreen's, in the shoe polish isle, I spotted a jar. Took it home and tried it. Works great, not one stuck case since (everything from 44 Magnum through 30-06, 303 British, plus a half dozen other rifle cartridges), cheap and easy to find...
    My Anchor is holding fast!

  6. #246
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    If you have a Drill Press or small Arbor Press you can use it to push cases into the Lee Loader Die. It is much easier than beating on it with a mallet.

    .44's shouldn't be that hard in any case.

    Randy
    "It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,,It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do!"
    www.buchananprecisionmachine.com

  7. #247
    Boolit Master



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    Hey Randy, I like the drill press idea. Might have to try it--when I get a drill press. james

  8. #248
    Boolit Master
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    Exclamation

    Need to get an arbor press from harbor Freight.
    You could make your own arbor press with a set of 2x 4's bolted together, or angle iron or even rigid pipe pieces.
    No money for seventy dollar arbor press, but possess scrap wood or steel.
    This would be a large leverage type device.
    Also, a small hydraulic jack and an H type form would press in and out the shells as would a large screw type C clamp.
    A touch of STP or Motor Honey will help those .44 Mag shells through the sizer.
    Last edited by Alferd Packer; 02-28-2021 at 05:43 PM.

  9. #249
    Boolit Master
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    Also a six inch screw type machinist vice or just a six inch vice will press the lubed shell into the sizing die.
    Then a short piece of steel stock to push the shell out.
    Of course you have to protect the shell with a flat piece of steel or hardwood where the vise jaw applies pressure to the
    Shell to press it into the die.
    The shell will get the base buggered up by the serrations on the vise jaw.

  10. #250
    Boolit Mold
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    Well, it only took a few years of looking but I finally found a Lee Loader for 12 gauge in good condition, complete, and affordable. (Ten bucks!! Yay, me!)

    I like using the Loaders to make black powder cartridges, now shot shells. I've got the cards and wads, just have to get some hulls. Gonna use an old Stevens SxS for the trap range. Should be fun.

    Jeff

  11. #251
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Love the idea of an arbor press to size. Perfect every time. Thanks.

  12. #252
    Boolit Grand Master

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    While I don't press any bearings or need an arbor press for much, the cheap one I got from HF is worth the cost (and room it takes up) for reloading. I use mine with my Lee Loaders and often just process brass or prime as most of my reloading is batch loading. A vise is way to slow and sometimes using a mallet gets old...

    BTW, one way I keep the noise down when using a LL is I use a lead ingot for an anvil. Much quieter and the bullet alloy doesn't soften the blow enough to make a difference...
    My Anchor is holding fast!

  13. #253
    Boolit Master Jim22's Avatar
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    I started reloading with a Lee Loader when I was still in High School. That was a while ago. Graduated in 1965. It was for my Blackhawk .357. $87.50 for the Ruger and $9.95 for the loader. Then I got one for .30-06. The Lee powder dipper always threw a light charge by design.

  14. #254
    Boolit Master
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    Either flare the case with a set of needle nose pliers or my favorite is to throw in your kit a bottle neck empty rifle case and tap it lightly into the cartridge rim for a slight flare to start your cast bullet.
    A nail set or a small center punch will flare the smallest cartridge cases.

  15. #255
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by JoseBob View Post
    Yes. I agree. Just did 25 44 mag cases, because I lost my shell holder for the RCBS Rockchuker. Darn it... I sprayed the cases with my case lube of alcohol and lanolin, let them dry, and still felt like I was driving spikes into a rail road cross tie with my plastic mallet. Anyway, got them sized... But was sure nuff a chore....
    If you mislaid the shell holder for your Rockchucker, you can remove the decapping pin from the sizing die and putting a flat piece of metal on top for the press ram , you can press the cartridges up into the die till the rim is close to but not touching the bottom of the sizing die.
    Before you try this you must find a steel pin or 1/4 inch round bar that will fit inside the sizing die .You can the drive the cartridge out of the die.It doesn't take much force to drive out the now resized cartridge.Usually only a 3/8 movement and it will fall out.
    You need a flat piece of metal atop the ram to protect the lips machined into the top of the ram or you will bend them and shell holder will not fit.They are soft steel and can be easily bent The shell holders on the other hand are hardened steel.
    You also must not bump the bottom of the carbide sizing die with the ram.The carbide ring silver soldered inside is very hard and brittle and can crack or split a hairline crack so don't bang into the die or drop it onto a concrete floor.
    For .44 .magnum or any magnums I always use a touch of lube even when using carbide dies.It helps and I read that it makes it easier to lube maybe every third shell.
    Another thing, you should use a soft mallet to drive out the shells.
    Barring that, a piece of two by four is better than using a steel ball pain hammer to bang out the shells .
    Again , it's less stress on your press and your die. Even using a block of wood as a cushion would help greatly to reduce the shock of hammering.
    Last edited by Alferd Packer; 04-01-2021 at 07:51 AM.

  16. #256
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    If you have a Drill Press you can use it to push the cases into your Lee Loader.

    The Lee Loader is an evolution/upgrade to the Hand Die. Hand Dies were never designed to be beat on, you were supposed to use an Arbor Press or you could use a Drill Press as an arbor press.

    Lee figured out that you could use a Plastic Mallet to drive the cases in and out of the die, and since more people had a plastic mallet or could buy one cheaply, that became the common method for operating that system.

    Just for info. My shop Drill Press has a Roll Pin Punch chucked up in it, and it is used to push the Roll Pins that secure the top and bottom plates on my Hand Press. It has been set up for this for about 4 years now. Previously I used the DP for Chamfering Holes, but I have a Hand Drill I can do that with now, so the DP stays set up as an Arbor Press.

    Randy
    "It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,,It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do!"
    www.buchananprecisionmachine.com

  17. #257
    Boolit Master
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    I still get kinda bummed out when I hear some of the guys on the reloading forum refer to the Classic Lee Loader as whack a mole loaders.It just sounds disrespectful for a tool set that allowed many a shooter, including me to be able to afford more shooting at a time when. money was harder to get for them and me.
    ¹Otherwise I love reading the
    postings about my favorite tool.
    Keep em coming.Thanks all!

  18. #258
    Boolit Bub
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    Does anyone have a lee loader in 44 magnum who would be willing to print and post a copy of the instructions as a pdf file please? I need one that uses the yellow 1.6cc scoop...thanks!

  19. #259
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Taylorh , there is a Lee Owners’ forum and on it there is a long running thread with lots of data sheets recorded. I’m pretty sure the one you’re looking for is there.

    Froggie

    PS Try here; https://www.lee-loader.com/viewforum.php?f=7
    Last edited by Green Frog; 12-25-2021 at 12:31 PM.
    "It aint easy being green!"

  20. #260
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alferd Packer View Post
    I still get kinda bummed out when I hear some of the guys on the reloading forum refer to the Classic Lee Loader as whack a mole loaders.It just sounds disrespectful for a tool set that allowed many a shooter, including me to be able to afford more shooting at a time when. money was harder to get for them and me.
    ¹Otherwise I love reading the
    postings about my favorite tool.
    Keep em coming.Thanks all!
    To me it makes more sense than talking about making spark plugs when actually reworking primers. Don't sweat the small stuff, it is not worth getting upset about. I have a few of the Lee Reloaders myself. Sort of the beginning of bigger and better things.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check